Eun Young Kim, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Kyu-Sung Kwack, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jae Ho Cho, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sun Jun An, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and to determine the optimal time window in MR imaging for differentiating between septic arthritis and transient synovitis in painful hip joints.

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. The requirement for informed consent was waived. Eighteen patients who underwent DCE-MRI were enrolled and the final diagnoses were septic arthritis (n = 7) and transient synovitis (n = 11). The enhancement patterns of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR images were dichotomized based on the shape of the time-signal intensity curves. The time at the maximal difference in the signal intensity between two time-signal intensity curves of both femoral heads was recorded. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic curves were obtained.  

Six of seven patients with septic arthritis in the hip joint had decreased enhancement during the early phase of DCE-MRI. The time at the maximal difference in the signal intensity between two time-signal intensity curves of both femoral heads was approximately 3.5 min. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for predicting septic arthritis was 0.792.

DCE-MRI is useful in differentiating between septic hip arthritis and transient synovitis. If static post-contrast coronal MR imaging is used, the optimal time for the acquisition of post-contrast coronal MR images is approximately 3.5 min.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) is useful in differentiating between septic hip arthritis and transient synovitis.

Kim, E, Kwack, K, Cho, J, An, S, Usefulness of Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI in Differentiating between Septic Arthritis and Transient Synovitis in the Hip Joint.  Radiological Society of North America 2011 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 2, 2011 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2011/11006960.html